Apple Inc Unwraps Several Surprises in the recent iPad Launch

During an industry conference held in May, Apple Inc chief executive Tim Cook hinted that the company would soon launch a number of ‘game changers.’ Those new technology products are expected to include a wearable device. However, he did not give any time frame.

It is not surprising that in every Apple event, many are expecting the launch of its iWatch, a well-anticipated smartwatch. But it seems that the company is saving it for another occasion. That does not mean that the recent iPad event was not interesting, though.

Apple’s most recent product launches were evolutionary. As expected, the technology firm unveiled two new iPads that are equipped with better screens and faster processors. Those are the iPad Air and the iPad mini with retina display. It also launched a new Mac Pro and the new operating system OS X Mavericks.

Although the products that were launched last October 22 were somehow expected, Apple did not fail to bring about a few surprises. It somehow made the predictable event unpredictable in some ways.

The iPad Air

Just as many analysts guessed that the new iPad would be named iPad 5, the company chose to deviate from those expectations. Its new iPad is dubbed as the iPad Air, the first time the company adopted a new suffix for its line of tablets. The device operates on M7 motion processor, which of course came as another surprise.

iPad Air is a full-sized tablet although it comes 20% thinner compared to the previous versions. It weighs just a pound and is sold at price tags that start at $499. The device is set to hit the retailers’ shelves beginning November 1. Its simultaneous launch in the US and in China would be the first time for an Apple device to be unveiled in both huge markets at the same time.

Upgrades for Macs

It was a bit surprising for Apple to announce that its iWork for iCloud is now equipped with Google docs and other tools. The idea is obviously to facilitate editing of documents in Numbers, Keynote, and Pages, all at once.

Users of Mac Computers and Mac Books would receive upgrades to the iWork software suite that matches rival Microsoft Corp’s Excel, PowerPoint, and Word. At the same time, OS X Mavericks, the latest operating system upgrade is offered for free. It now follows the precedence of iOS, a free and constantly upgraded operating system for iPhones and iPads.